Printed plastic packaging

ABSTRACT

A premium plastic package is provided as well as a method for producing such a package. Printing on multiple surfaces of a package to obtain appealing visual effects is described. Methods of sealing plastic packages are described, including some that use ultraviolet light to activate an adhesive. Plastic materials that can be used include recycled and/or recyclable polyurethane.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

1. Field of the Inventions

The inventions disclosed herein relate to product packaging. Morespecifically, some embodiments provide for a retail product displaypackage that is not only resistant to theft and tampering, but alsohighly attractive and formed from recycled materials.

2. Description of the Related Art

Retail establishments commonly attempt to make their products moreattractive to customers. However, some of the same techniques thatattract buyers can also attract thieves. Theft is a problem that haslong plagued retail establishments, especially theft of compact,high-margin goods-personal electronic devices, for example which areattractive to thieves because they can be easy to pocket and have a highresale value. Often, retail stores make these items less accessible tocustomers, placing them behind or inside of a glass counter, forexample. That way, store personnel do not have to spend as much timewatching over patrons to make sure they are not pilfering goods.

This solution is effective at preventing theft, but can have theundesirable side effect of lowering sales. For a variety of reasons,many customers are uncomfortable asking a sales clerk to help them. Forexample, some customers are simply too impatient to wait for a busyclerk to get to them. No matter what the reason, if a customer cannotquickly and easily select an item for purchase without the aid of astore clerk, a customer is less likely to purchase it.

As an alternative to placing the goods behind a counter or in aprotective case, many stores instead prefer to display high-margin itemsinside oversized packaging that is unlikely to fit in the pocket of apotential thief. Tamper-resistant packaging can also help foil thewould-be larcenist by deterring any attempts to tear, puncture, cut, orfold the packaging to make it easier to conceal.

In addition to concerns relating to potential theft, retailestablishments generally have a preference for packaging that improvesthe appearance of the products inside. However, currently used plasticpackaging and the techniques for creating it leave much to be desired.For example, low cost skin packs use shrink wrap surrounding printedcardboard, but these packages are not sufficiently tamper resistant topackage high-priced items. Likewise, blister packs are not sufficientlysecure, due to readily-tom cardboard portions. Clamshell packaging canbe more tamper-resistant than blister packs, but in current forms, ithas drawbacks as well, because generally a cardboard insert must beseparately printed and then positioned within the packaging by humanhands. Indeed, many of the complex folds and features employed to makeclamshell packaging more tamper resistant make such packaging expensiveto manufacture. For example, the thick plastic often used is relativelyexpensive, and assembly steps are difficult to automate. Furthermore,many of the packaging genres described above do not make use of recycledmaterials, leading to increased manufacturing costs. Finally, currentmethods do not provide for printing on more than one surface of plasticpackaging material.

Therefore, a theft-deterring package that is capable of displayinginformative product information, can be cheaply manufactured, and cancomprise a highly attractive design would be of great benefit to theretail sales industry. Indeed, low cost theft prevention packaging thatalso provides a very high quality presentation while using recycledmaterials has not been available in the past.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS

The inventions described herein have several features, no single one ofwhich is solely responsible for their desirable attributes. Withoutlimiting the scope of the inventions as expressed by the claims thatfollow, some of the prominent features will now be discussed briefly.Embodiments disclosed in this application provide for packaging thatsolves many of the problems encountered in the past. For example, someembodiments are not only resistant to theft and tampering, they are alsoinexpensive to manufacture and highly attractive. Furthermore, someembodiments provide high impact point-of-sale marketing through use ofspecialty printing directly on multiple surfaces of plastic materials.Various plastic materials can be used in accordance with the disclosedembodiments, including recycled or virgin plastics. The disclosedinventions provide for superior quality and environmentally favorablepackaging with unique visual appeal and theft-resistant properties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments will now be discussed in detail. The embodimentsdepict novel and non-obvious aspects of printed packaging that has greatadvantages over the prior art. The embodiments shown in the drawings arefor illustrative purposes only, and the claimed inventions should not bedeemed limited by the exemplary embodiments illustrated by the followingfigures:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a folded clamshell package.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a two-part clamshell package.

FIG. 2A shows a plan view of the two-part clamshell package of FIG. 2 inan assembled state.

FIG. 3 depicts overlying patterns.

FIG. 4 shows two overlapping patterns.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a plastic package.

FIG. 6 shows a flow chart for the steps in a plastic packagingproduction method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Product information printed directly on a product's packaging enhancesconvenience for potential buyers. A buyer can study the package at thepoint of sale and compare various products according to the data printedon the package. This can save time for a consumer and provide access touseful information, reducing the risk that the product will later bereturned or that the consumer will not be happy with the purchase.Furthermore, such information on packaging increases the chances that acustomer will buy the product by informing him or her of its novelfeatures and advantages over other products. Information provided onproduct packaging can also have a persuasive role from a purelyadvertising perspective by conveying a positive brand message andencouraging purchase through enumerating the merits and utility of theproduct.

But providing product data to the diligent comparative shopper is notthe only reason to print directly on product packaging; the packagingcan in fact attract buyers that would otherwise not be interested in theproduct. For example, the packaging may prominently display a trademarkor brand name that does not or cannot appear so prominently on theproduct itself. A package may further display colors that are moreeye-catching than would be desirable for the product itself.Furthermore, a product package can serve the purpose of callingattention to the product or group of products, drawing the consumercloser to the product or products. Indeed, product packaging can be partof an overall visual effect caused by a display in a retail location.For example, the product packaging can have colors that harmonize orclash with display colors to create a visual effect. Such attractivepackaging and/or brightly colored advertising increases the product'svisibility on the shelf.

Another way a product packaging can add value is by associating aproduct with an entity from popular culture such as a movie personalityor a broader advertising campaign. This can be accomplished byportraying commonly recognized images or words on the packaging. Aproduct's packaging can thus capitalize on the popularity or status ofany entity or fad. Recognizing the multiple ways product packaging canbe used in a retail setting, various improvements can further enhancecurrent packages and the methods and systems that lead to their creationand use.

Clamshell Packaging

One type of product packaging that can have good theft-deterrentproperties is clamshell packaging (clamshell). As its name suggests,clamshell packaging can comprise two complementary plastic portions thatmay be linked along one side in order to fold together like the twocomplementary shells that form the exoskeleton of the well-known marinecrustacean.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of such a folded clamshellconfiguration 110. As illustrated, a folded clamshell 110 can have afirst portion 111 and a second portion 115, joined together at a crease136. The two portions can in fact be integrally formed in earliermanufacturing steps and folded to create crease 136 in a later step.First portion 111 can have a first surface 112 and a second surface 114.Similarly, second portion 115 can have a third surface 116 and a fourthsurface 118.

Either of first portion 111 and second portion 115 can comprise a moldedportion, such as molded portion 132 in FIG. 1. A molded portion such asmolded portion 132 can be generally contoured to the shape of a productto be packaged (not shown). Such a molded portion 132 can be in firstportion 111, second portion 115, and/or both portions. A product can besandwiched between the two portions of the packaging, fitting, forexample, within the contours of the molded portion.

To assemble a clamshell package the product is placed between the twohalves, which are then brought together. Once the package is closed, theedges can be advantageously secured to each other with glue, heat orother means suitable to prevent the edges from being easily separated.

Alternatively, the two portions of a clamshell package need not behingedly linked before being sealed together. Thus, clamshells canconsist of two molded pieces of transparent plastic, PVC, or othermaterial that is difficult for human hands to tear. The pieces aresometimes mirror images of one another, with the edges of one halfdesigned to mate or fit within the edges of the other. Some embodimentsmay have one plastic portion that includes a raised lip about itsperimeter. The path traced by the lip about the perimeter of thatportion is preferably the same shape as, but of slightly largerdimension than, the edges of the complementary portion. The lip canprovide a seat for the complementary portion, facilitating automatedmanufacturing of the package by providing accurate relative positioningof the two portions. The lip can also advantageously block access to theedges of the complementary portion. Because a thief cannot grasp theedges of the complementary portion, he or she cannot attempt to easilypeel the two portions apart in order to remove the product.

A slightly different type of clamshell can be a self-service package forcontaining small parts. Such a package can include a bottom part havinga perimeter wall, thereby forming a cup shape. A lid, also having aperimeter wall that forms a cup shape, can overlap the perimeter wall ofthe bottom part to close the container. An adhesive label can span theboundary between the two halves to seal them together.

Another type of clamshell can have a rigid back panel with a productholding area and a separate larger graphics area. The panel can have aflange that carries product information and the panel can also seatagainst part of the product. The rigid back panel and product cassettecan be packaged with a further external thin film shrink wrap.

Theft Deterrence

Some clamshells, such as those described above, can be effective atdeterring theft because they are difficult to fold, nearly impossible totear open, and difficult to cut open without attracting attention. Someclamshells can be, however, quite expensive to manufacture due toexpensive materials and high labor costs if non-plastic inserts are usedto provide a place for printing words or designs. Embodiments disclosedherein overcome this dilemma by providing for printing directly on theplastic clamshell packaging material.

Certain embodiments comply with theft deterrent standards published byvarious retail companies. For example, some retail establishmentsrequire that a theft resistant package have a minimum size. Someadvantageous embodiments meet such requirements by being at least 15inches wide by at least 13 inches tall. Other sizes can also beadequately theft resistant. Retail establishments also sometimes requireplastic packaging materials to be of a minimum hardness or thickness.Some advantageous embodiments meet such requirements by being formedfrom a minimum of thirty-gauge plastic. Some embodiments meet suchrequirements by using plastic having a minimum caliper of 16 mil. Otherthicknesses and properties can also be adequately theft resistant.Retail companies sometimes require that theft resistant packaging meetcertain minimum closure requirements. Some advantageous embodiments meetthese requirements by having multiple seal points in the plasticpackaging around the product. Some preferred embodiments additionallyhave metal locking inserts and/or wire hooks that attach the product tothe plastic. Some preferred embodiments meet these requirements by being“fully sealed,” for example by using heat sealing or a water-basedurethane on the interference fit edges. Some preferred embodiments aresealed so as to leave no openings or holes larger than ⅛ inch indiameter.

The plastic packaging can include a raised ridge or indented portionthat projects outwardly from or protrudes inwardly from the surface ofthe plastic package. Such a ridge or indented portion can provide thepackage with greater rigidity, thereby increasing the package's abilityto resist bending. The ridge can thus prevent a would-be larcenist fromeasily folding the package in order to more easily conceal it under hisor her clothing or inside a purse or shopping bag. In addition, raisedridges can assist in the vertical display of multiple packages in a box(not shown). Rather than including such a ridge, the plastic packagingmay alternatively be constructed of plastic that is thick enough toresist bending.

Some types of packaging are not necessarily designed to prevent theft,but still include at least two plastic portions sealed to one another.For example, a package can comprise a box having one open side made ofrigid plastic having a flexible plastic cover adhered to a rim of thebox spanning the opening. A tab on the corner of the cover can enable aconsumer to easily tear off the cover in order to access the productinside. Another type of plastic packaging can comprise a rigid plasticshell shaped either as a hollow cylinder with one open end, or as a U.The open end of the shell can be covered with a flexible plastic sealthat can be easily peeled away to access the product inside.

Printing

As illustrated in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the plastic portions ofclamshell packaging can be printed upon. For example, if a clamshellpackage has two complementary plastic portions, each portion can havegenerally two surfaces. Each of the four surfaces can receive printedmaterial in the form of words, designs, colors, layers of ink, etching,chemical effects, etc. In some embodiments, printing on multiplesurfaces of plastic materials allows for special effects graphics,creation of transparent and/or translucent surfaces, and eventhree-dimensional effects. These and many other special graphicaleffects are possible by combining printing on plastics with printing onmultiple surfaces of a package. Indeed, the quality of such graphics canbe superior to graphics printed on a paperboard insert card.

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a plastic clamshell package 210having printing on multiple plastic surfaces. In contrast to FIG. 1,FIG. 2 illustrates a two-part clamshell without a connecting crease suchas crease 136 of FIG. 1. Clamshell 210 does, however, have multipleplastic portions. As shown, a clamshell package 210 can have a firstportion 211 and a second portion 215. First portion 211 can have a firstsurface 212 and a second surface 214. Similarly, second portion 215 canhave a third surface 216 and a fourth surface 218. As illustrated, eachplastic surface can be printed upon. For example, first surface 212 canhave printing 222 on it as illustrated by the numeral “1.” Secondsurface 214 can have printing 224 on it as illustrated by the printednumeral “2.” Printing 224 is visible through the plastic portion 215.When viewed from the front, the numerals 1 and 2 seem to partiallyoverlap, even though the respective inks used to print the two numeralsdo contact each other. This visual overlapping effect is made possibleby printing on both surfaces of the plastic portion 215. Similarly,third surface 216 can have printing 226 on it as illustrated by thenumeral “3,” and fourth surface 218 can have printing 228 on it asillustrated by the numeral “4,” as seen through the plastic portion 215.

FIG. 2A illustrates how the plastic portions 211 and 215 of FIG. 2 cancome together, with product 234 sandwiched in between them. As shown,printed portions 222, 224, 226, and 228 (numerals 1-4) seem to overlap,even though only one numeral is printed on each of the four surfaces212, 214, 216, and 218. The printing on the back surfaces of the twoplastic portions 211 and 215 (surfaces 214 and 218) is indicated withvertical lines. The printing on the front surfaces (surfaces 212 and216) of the two plastic portions 211 and 215 is indicated withhorizontal lines. Thus, in the illustrated configuration, the numeralsare visible to the observer despite the fact that some of them arefarther removed from the viewer, being separated from the viewer bysuccessive plastic portions. As shown, the numeral 1 is located closestto the viewer, followed by numerals 2 and 3, separated from the viewerby plastic portion 211, and finally by numeral 4, separated from theviewer by both plastic portions 211 and 215.

Multiple layers of printing can have many desirable benefits.Spectacular visual effects can be achieved by using combinations of fourcolors on multiple superimposed plastic surfaces. The color combinationsused and the relative positioning of the patterns can be chosen todepict any number of unique designs. Multiple surface printing has theadvantage of allowing visual depth and spatial effects to be moreconvincing and realistic. Printing in an overlapping manner also allowsfor a wide variety of design options.

FIG. 3 illustrates one way in which layered printing can comprisecomplementary layers that are configured to create a visual effect whenpositioned one over another. In one embodiment, the illustrated layersdo not represent separate plastic portions, but instead representregions or surfaces that can accept printing. For example, the layerscan represent the four surfaces of two plastic portions, such assurfaces 212, 214, 216, and 218 in FIG. 2. In some embodiments, a firstlayer 312 can have a printed pattern 322. A second layer 314 can have asecond pattern 324, a third layer 316 can have a third pattern 326, anda fourth layer 318 can have a fourth pattern 328. Each pattern can beprinted on a surface of transparent plastic, thus allowing light to passthrough each layer to some extent. This allows underlying layers to bepartially visible through overlying layers. Furthermore, each patterncan have some portions that are opaque and some that are transparent,according to the lines and spaces in the printed patterns. Thus, aspatterns overlay one another, visual effects are created that are uniqueto each pattern combination. The effect created by any patterncombination can also change according to the relative orientations ofthe two patterns to each other, either in a parallel plane or in a morecomplex spatial relationship. As FIG. 3 illustrates, combinations ofoverlying patterns can result in numerous new patterns and/or visualeffects.

FIG. 4 illustrates another way in which multiple-layer printing canachieve visual effects. Masking pattern 422 can generally obscureanything that is located behind pattern 422. However, if masking patter422 is partially removed or is not printed on a portion of a transparentsurface, a second pattern such as pattern 424 can be visible through theopening. This negative printing technique has great potential forstriking visual effects, as can be seen in FIG. 4. Similar visualcombinations can also be advantageous, such as a “peek-a-boo” printingeffect, inverse, and or cutaway printing. Packaging materials can alsobe printed or sized to allow a portion of the product inside to beaccessible to the sight or touch of a potential buyer.

Another embodiment capitalizes on principles of artistic perspective. Insome embodiments, for example, a design printed on an inferior surfacepositioned behind a superior surface can appear to be contained deepwithin or far behind the design of the superior surface: This appearanceof perspective can be enhanced when printing appears on more than twosurfaces of overlaid plastic material. Thus, appropriately printedimages can create an enhanced sense of depth in a plastic packagingmaterial with an otherwise more shallow appearance. In some embodiments,a printing process using combinations of multiple colors can lead tospectacular visual effects. For example, a four color process has manyadvantages. Some embodiments create translucent and lenticular effects.Some embodiments use spot color processes.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-section of various layers that can comprise apackaging configuration 510. Layer 522 represents printing on a surface512 of plastic portion 511. Printing 524 can also be located on surface514 of plastic portion 511. Opening 530 can contain the product to bepackaged, or it can be a gap, depending on where the cross-section ofthe package 510 is taken. On the other side of opening 530 is anotherplastic portion 515, having a surface 516 with a printed layer 526.Similarly, surface 518 can have a printed layer 528. As illustrated byeye 542, a viewer can see a combination of patterns comprising thevarious layers of printing and plastics in the line of sight 544 of theviewer.

Plastic portions 511 and 515 can be adapted to receive print. Printinglayers 522, 524, 526 and 528 can be adapted to adhere to plasticsurfaces, including, in some embodiments, recycled PET, recycled PVC,and/or other recycled and/or recyclable plastics. When the plasticsurfaces and/or printing materials are adapted to adhere, the ability ofthe plastic material to receive print eliminates the need to place acardboard insert within the package, as with some prior art packages.Eliminating the cardboard insert can lower both the cost of producingthe package itself, and the cost of assembling the product and packagetogether. The cost of producing the package can be lowered because fewermaterials are needed. The cost of assembling the product and packagetogether can be reduced because the labor step of placing the cardboardinsert within the package is eliminated.

Although FIG. 5 illustrates a printing layer adhered to each of the fourplastic surfaces, some embodiments only have printing on one of thesurfaces. Other embodiments have printing on only two of the surfaces.Other embodiments have printing on only three of the surfaces. Moresurfaces can also be included, and various other combinations of layeredsurfaces and printing configurations are contemplated.

Other ways in which the appearance of plastic packaging can be enhancedinclude using translucent and/or iridescent materials. For example,metallic, shimmering, highly reflective, and/or glittering effects canbe created with some chemical substances. These substances can be usedon one or multiple layers of the plastic packaging. Multiple layers ofink can also be printed onto a single plastic surface. Design andmarketing potential increases drastically when printing can beaccomplished on multiple surfaces of plastic packaging.

Materials

Many retail establishments prefer to use clear plastic for at least aportion of the packaging that is used to enclose and display products.This allows consumers to see the product inside. Traditionally, clearplastic has also been used to permit the consumer to see through theplastic material to a printed insert or printed cardboard backing.However, printing directly on clear plastic has many advantages. Such anapproach can avoid extra costs associated with extra inserts, forexample. Furthermore, printing on clear plastic allows for a wide arrayof impressive visual effects.

Plastic materials that can be used for these purposes includethermoplastic materials. Preferred embodiments are formed from plasticmaterials that resist tearing, puncturing, and/or ripping. Preferredmaterials include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PET), recycledPET, recycled PVC, polypropylene, PVC styrene, APET, recyclable PET,recyclable PVC, and other materials having similar tamper-resistantproperties. Preferred materials also include those materials that can besealed using RF, sonic, heat, or ultraviolet sealing technology. Variousembodiments are formed from a wide variety of virgin, recycled, orrecyclable materials, providing a unique appearance that is bothsuperior in quality and also environmentally favorable. The plasticmaterial can be completely transparent, partially transparent, or fullyimpervious to light. Varying levels of opacity can be accomplished byprinting ink layers on the surfaces of the plastic material or byincluding opaque materials in the mixture of chemicals that is used toform the original plastic material, for example. A plastic package cancomprise a transparent cover and a non-transparent backing, or atransparent backing and a non-transparent cover. Various othercombinations of transparency and/or opacity are also possible.

The innovations described herein permit a relatively inexpensiveassembly process. By allowing premium printing on the plastic packagingmaterial itself, the process saves the cost of an additional packageinsert, as well as the assembly costs of inserting the package insert.Indeed, many of the steps described above can be effectively automated.Cost savings also occur by allowing such printing to occur on recycledmaterials. Recycled plastics can be obtained cheaply, reducing the costsof the necessary raw materials. Furthermore, by using recyclablematerials, some costs can be recovered by reusing scraps or off-fallmaterials left over after the manufacturing process. Moreover,post-consumer recycling can be a source of raw materials, furtherreducing costs.

Manufacturing

FIG. 6 illustrates a method of manufacturing a plastic package. Anextruding step 620 can comprise extruding plastic material and gatheringthe resulting sheets onto rolls.

A printing step 63.0 can comprise feeding the plastic sheet through aprinter. The printer can print on one or multiple surfaces of theplastic sheet concurrently. In some embodiments, a second printing step640 can comprise sending the same plastic sheet through the same or asubsequent printer.

A cutting step 650 can comprise die-cutting portions of the plasticsheet or cutting portions of the sheet with a rolling blade, forexample. The cutting step can form smaller portions for one or multiplepackages. Cutting step 650 can also comprise folding portions of plasticif the resulting package is to have a crease such as crease 136, forexample. In some embodiments, the cutting step can comprise molding orstamping the plastic portions to form contours intended to house theproduct or other items to be contained within the packaging. Suchcontours can be formed at the same time the plastic sheet is cut if thecutting die also comprises a stamping mold. Such molding can alsocomprise heating or cooling the plastic material. In some embodiments,the plastic material can be vacuum molded. This technique employs avacuum to force the plastic material against a mold so that the plasticsubsequently retains the shape of the mold.

Filling step 660 can comprise placing the product within the plasticpackaging. Other items can also be placed within the plastic packaging,such as instructions, batteries, printed materials, companion items,other products, storage cases, refill containers, spare parts, assemblyhardware, etc.

Closing step 670 can include a method of closing the plastic packaging.For example, staples, rivets, pins, or glue can be used. In someembodiments, complementary features are formed in the two portions of aplastic package that mate together. For example, tongue features can fitinto groove features formed in the respective portions of a plasticpackage. Alternatively, tabs can be formed in one portion to fold overor protrude through a slot in the other portion. Some embodiments employplastic lips, locks, or snaps that can be formed by shaping the plastic.For sufficient theft or tamper resistance, however, often these methodsrequire additional sealing measures to be taken. Some potentialadditional measures include heat sealing, RF welding, UV welding, andultrasonic welding.

Closure

Ultraviolet, or UV welding, has many advantages. For example, UV weldingcan achieve sufficient strength to provide theft resistance. UV weldingcan also be accomplished cheaply and efficiently, with relatively fewsteps. In some embodiments, an adhesive substance such as thermoset gluecan be applied. After the two plastic portions have been placed incontact with the thermoset glue, ultraviolet light can be shined on theglue and plastic. The ultraviolet light activates the adhesiveproperties of the glue. One advantage of UV welding is its adhesivestrength. Using this approach, sufficient tamper-resistance can beachieved even though the two flat plastic portions may not have featuressuch as lips, locks, or snaps in addition to the adhesive material. Twoflat, featureless surfaces can thus be strongly adhered to each othersimply and effectively.

Another advantage of UV welding is that such techniques can seal a muchwider array of materials than those that can be sealed by conventionaltechniques. This provides for even greater latitude in design for visualeffects in packaging. For example, UV welding techniques can be used tobond recycled polyurethane (RPET), a material that is difficult to sealwith conventional techniques. Another material that can be bonded usingUV welding is APET.

In some embodiments, the two plastic portions of the packaging can beclosed together using a method such as stamping or heating. For example,a stamp can be used to exert pressure on the two plastic layers whilethey are in apposition. The pressure can seal the two portions togetherat or near the place where the stamp contacts the plastic. Anotherexample uses heat to meld the two plastic portions together. This can beaccomplished using a hot implement that contacts the packaging atvarious places around the perimeter while the two portions are inapposition, for example. Sonic heat and RF welding methods can be usedto fuse the two portions, for example. Alternatively, non-UV wavelengthsof radiation can also be used to activate adhesives. An adhesive can beactivated by microwave, infrared, radio frequency, or gamma rayradiation, for example. In one exemplary RF welding approach, twoelectrodes can be placed in close proximity to each other, but not indirect contact with each other. The electrodes can be permitted,however, to contact one or both of the plastic portions of thepackaging. The plastic material can act as a dielectric that permitssome electrical current to flow, but with some resistance. As theplastic resists current flow, electrical energy is converted intothermal energy and the heat melds a portion of the plastic packaging.This approach advantageously permits the two electrodes to not beindependently heated. The heating effect can be reserved for thematerial to be heated such as the plastic, for example.

In some advantageous embodiments, adhesive substances can be used tochemically attach the two or more portions of a package together. Forexample, glue that cures over time as it dries can be used.Multiple-component glues can also be used, where one component isapplied and another component activates the adhesive effect. In someembodiments, the packaging can be closed using a water-based urethanesealant. Advantageously, the adhesive may be applied only in areas whereadhesion is to take place. Alternatively, the adhesive may be applied toan entire surface of one of the plastic portions. If glue is applied toan entire surface, the glue is preferably of the type that will notadhere permanently to the product. The glue may, for example, be appliedto one portion of the packaging and then allowed to dry before thepackage is assembled. The glue in the adhesion areas is then activatedby heat, RF waves, ultrasonic waves or another sealing method.Preferably, any adhesive used is transparent so as not to interfere withconsumers reading the printing on either of the plastic portions.

In some embodiments, plastic features can be formed that complementother welding techniques. For example, abutting plastic portions caninclude raised ridges, narrow exposed channels, etc. These features canallow welding to occur in conjunction with a roller or other mechanismsthat can urge the corresponding plastic portions into proper contact.These features and mechanisms can cause an effective and strongplastic-to-plastic seal. They can allow the two plastic portions tomechanically interlock together.

In some embodiments, the adhesion only occurs in discrete areas of thepackage, and preferably in areas where the adhesion makes it verydifficult to separate the two plastic portions. For example, adheringthe two plastic portions together near the edges makes it difficult fora thief to effectively grasp the edges of both pieces in order to pullthem apart. Furthermore, many of the fusion techniques described above,including RF welding, ultrasonic welding and UV welding, produce such astrong bond between the two plastic portions that it is virtuallyimpossible for a thief to separate the two. Even if a thief couldseparate the two portions by peeling, the process would likely require asubstantial amount of effort, and would produce an exceptional amount ofnoise, attracting the attention of other store patrons and/or storepersonnel, thereby effectively foiling the attempted larceny.

One example of preferred packaging equipment that can be used toaccomplish the methods described above is a Multivac machine,manufactured by Multivac, Inc., of Kansas City, Missourri. Other form,fill, and seal equipment can also be used. Preferred machines functionin-line, fully automatically, and have a high-volume output. In apreferred form, fill and seal machine, a bed is tooled with molds thatheat and form plastic material to contours of the molds. The plasticmaterial can be fed in to one end of the machine from a roll of plastic.The machine then orients the plastic correctly with respect to the moldsand forms the plastic into the shape of the mold. After the plastic isformed by the molds and cooled, if necessary, the product(s) is/areplaced into the molded plastic. Then, the plastic backing (in the formof flat plastic film off a roll, for example) that preferably has beenprinted on one or both surfaces is fed into the machine, which seals theplastic backing to the molded portion, thus securely enclosing theproduct inside. The printed plastic backing can be formed from rigid orflexible plastic material. Moreover, the steps described above can beperformed in a different order.

Because the form, fill and seal machine can have multiple molds formultiple product packages, the machine can advantageously separate theindividual packages from each other by a die cutting step.Advantageously, the sealing and cutting steps can be combined into asingle die-cut seal step, where part of the die exerts pressure on thepackage to urge the portions together in a secure seal, while anotherpart of the die is sharper and shaped to cut through the plasticadjacent to the sealed portion. The form, fill and seal equipment can beoriented horizontally or vertically with respect to the floor.

The specifications of any given machine can be described in terms of themachine's “web,” measured perpendicularly to the machine's length.Machines with wider webs have more capacity to form packaging at anygiven position along the machine's length. Accordingly, even thoughmachines with wider webs index—or move the packaging through—at slowerabsolute speeds than narrower web machines, the overall efficiency ofthe wider webbed machines is greater. Thus, the larger the web, the moreunits per cycle can be formed at the same time.

The foregoing description sets forth various preferred embodiments andother exemplary but non-limiting embodiments of the inventions disclosedherein. The description gives some details regarding combinations andmodes of the disclosed inventions. Other variations, combinations,modifications, modes, and/or applications of the disclosed features andaspects of the embodiments are also within the scope of this disclosure,including those that become apparent to those of skill in the art uponreading this specification. Thus, the scope of the inventions claimedherein should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims thatfollow.

1. An enclosure to deter theft of a product in the enclosure comprising:a first plastic portion having first and second surfaces, said firstplastic portion having printing upon at least one of said first andsecond surfaces; a second plastic portion having third and fourthsurfaces, said second plastic portion having printing upon at least oneof said third and fourth surfaces; and wherein said first and secondplastic portions are secured to enclose a product.
 2. Thetheft-deterrent enclosure of claim 1, wherein first and second plasticportions are secured using ultraviolet light to activate an adhesive. 3.The theft-deterrent plastic enclosure of claim 1, wherein the plasticclamshell package is formed from recycled polyurethane.
 4. Thetheft-deterrent plastic enclosure of claim 1, wherein the plasticportions are clear.
 5. The theft-deterrent plastic enclosure of claim 1,wherein at least three of the plastic surfaces have printing.
 6. Atheft-deterrent plastic enclosure for a product comprising: a frontplastic portion and a back plastic portion; at least two inner surfaces,at least one of which is printed; at least two outer surfaces, at leastone of which is printed; wherein the plastic portions are formed fromrecycled material.
 7. The theft-deterrent plastic enclosure of claim 6,wherein said front and back plastic portions are sealed together usingultraviolet light to activate an adhesive.
 8. The theft-deterrentplastic enclosure of claim 6, wherein the recycled material is recycledpolyurethane.
 9. The theft-deterrent plastic enclosure of claim 6,wherein the plastic portions are clear.
 10. The theft-deterrent plasticenclosure as in claim 6, wherein the at least two printed surfacescomprise opposite sides of the same plastic portion.
 11. Thetheft-deterrent plastic enclosure of claim 6, wherein the plasticenclosure is a clamshell.
 12. A method of forming a theft-deterrentplastic clamshell package for a product, comprising: extruding a plasticmaterial into a plastic sheet; printing on one surface of the plasticsheet; printing on the other surface of the plastic sheet; forming theplastic sheet into a package; placing a product into the package; andclosing said package.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the closingstep comprises sealing the package using ultraviolet light to activatean adhesive.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the plastic material isrecycled polyurethane.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the plasticmaterial is clear.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the steps offorming, placing, and closing are performed in the same machine, fullyautomatically.
 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of closingthe package further comprises die cutting the package to separate thepackage.
 18. A theft-deterrent printed plastic package for a productcomprising: a first plastic portion having first and second surfaces,said first portion having printing upon at least one of said first andsecond surfaces; a second plastic portion having third and fourthsurfaces, said second portion having printing upon at least one of saidthird and fourth surfaces, said second portion secured to said firstportion at multiple seal points around the product; said package is atleast 13 inches long in a first dimension.
 19. The package of claim 18,wherein said first and second plastic portions are formed from at leastthirty-gauge plastic.
 20. The package of claim 18, wherein said firstand second plastic portions are formed from plastic having a minimumcaliper of 16 mil.
 21. The package of claim 18, wherein said plasticportions are formed from recycled polyurethane.
 22. The package of claim19, wherein said first and second plastic portions are secured usingultraviolet light to activate an adhesive.
 23. The package of claim 18,wherein said first and second portions are secured at two seal pointsaround the product.
 24. The package of claim 18, wherein said package isat least 15 inches long in a second dimension.